The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-27


Senator Alexander Mcdonald went
from Pennsylvania to Arkansas be-
fore the war, but espoused the Union
cause and was active in raising and
equipplng Federal troops. He was
good business man, and was the
founder and president Of the First
National Bank Of Little Rock. He
was also the first man to sign the call
for State Convention under the
reconstruction act, and came to the
Senate when Arkansas was read
mitted. Mcdonald was a solid man
and under more favorable circum-
stances would have become infuen-
tial in national politics. He is now
in New York, a successful business
man.
South Carolina was weak in the
United States Senate under recon
structiop. 1t was possibly Patter-
sons misfortune, but nobody ever
had any confidence in him when he
was at Washington, and his presence
here was constant source of annoy
ance to the white people of the State
be nominally represented. With
Moses for governor believe he is
in Jail now; he has been most OF the
time lately, for swindling or some
thing of the sort--a Legislature that
was a screaming farce, or would have
been il it had not been so ruinously
reckless in the expenditure Of the
public money, and executive officers
who didn't know, many of them,
what honesty was, South Carolina
was severely punished for her lead
ership of secession. But Patterson
is doing better than most of his
"carpetbag" associates, He is build
ing horse railroads in Baltimore and
getting rich.
Frederick A. Sawyer, the other
South Carolina Senator in 1870, was
q Yankee schoolmaster who went
from Massac It's to Charleston be-
fore the war to become principal Of
the State Normal School. He must
have been successful, for the people
kept him there about three and q
half years after the war broke out in
spite Of his outspoken Union senti-
ments. But in the autumn Of 1864
the shadow Of the downfall Of the
Confedcracy began to fall upon the
Southern people, and they could
stand his presence no longer, and 40
they gave him pass for himself and
family through the lines. A few
months later he returned as United
States Internal Revenue Collector
and was elected Senator. Mr.. Saw
yer was respectable, but nota great
Senator, and didn't make a brilliant
success as Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury afterwards. The last |
heard Of him he was in Tennessee
investigating claims of loyal men for
property taken during the war by the
United States.
The two "carpetbag" Senators
from Florida are now in the North.
Osborn who went to the war in 1851
as captain in the First New York
Artillery Of the Army OF the Ten
nossee, is now in business in Brock
Ign and doing well, and Conovcr pre-
sides over a drug store somewhere
in New Jersey, an honorable, though
perhaps not as honOred a position as
a seat in the United States Senate.
Gen. Adelbert Ames, Gen. b. II.
Buffers sOn-in- law, was a good sol
der, an arbitrary Governor OF Mis-
sissippi and quiet Senator. lie
finds business in Minnesota more
profitable than soldering or politics.
A word about the only two colorcd
men who have ever been members Of
the United States SeBa,o. The first
one, RevelS, was man Of education
and refinement, exceedingly modest
and favorite among his associates.
His advent to the Senate was an Oc-
casion Of great interest in Congress,
and the galleries OF the Senate were
thronged by people anxious to see
him take the oath. The scene was
and will yet inspire tho
brush of some great colored artist
Revels made but few speeches, but
those he did deliver showed careful
and a thorough under
of the subjects Of which he
treated. He shrank from anything
ike obtrusiveness, and he went out
Of the Senate regretted by the older
members. He is now at the head Of |
one of the largest and most success
Iul colorod schools in the South.
Blanche X. Bruce, the other col |
pred Senator, although not as we'll |
educated as Revels, had no occasion
10 be ashamed Of himself even in the
of the members of that
august body. His wife is beautiful
nulatto, daughter Of wealthy col
pred man of Cleveland, Ohio, well
educated and accomplished. He
made creditable record as a Sen
itor and as Register of the Treasury, |
.nd during the past winter has been
me OF the most successful popular
lecturers in the country.